Edinburgh Napier University has confirmed that plans for a campus in Hong Kong have been scrapped after a souring of the city¡¯s political mood towards overseas university branches.

The decision follows the revelation in July last year that the project¡¯s unnamed financial backer had pulled its support for such a ¡°contentious¡± initiative after locals objected to land being used for university outposts when housing was in such short supply. Minutes of a meeting held on 28 October 2013 by the institution¡¯s governing council reveal that the project was cancelled after an ¡°assessment of the current political landscape in the region¡±.

Edinburgh Napier had planned to set up its outpost on Hong Kong¡¯s 25-acre Queen¡¯s Hill site, which is earmarked for private branches of overseas universities.

However, there has been discontent in the city about handing over such a large site for this purpose when rents and property prices for locals are among the highest in the world.

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A report in the local media earlier this month suggested that the Hong Kong administration could kill off plans for Queen¡¯s Hill to host overseas universities and instead devote the area to housing.

The university minutes add that ¡°funders remained supportive of the university¡¯s ambitions in the region¡±, but it was also noted that ¡°the international strategy would be reviewed and probably re-stated in due course¡±. Edinburgh Napier still offers its degrees through a number of partners in Hong Kong. About 3,000 students are enrolled on the university¡¯s programmes in the city.

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Following the decision to scrap the campus plans, Andrea Nolan, the vice-chancellor, told staff that it ¡°in no way signals a move away from Hong Kong in terms of our thinking¡­we are committed to the region, its people and our partners in Hong Kong¡±.

david.matthews@tsleducation.com